There are tales, as old as time itself, that are passed down through the ages—fables rich with gilded words, carried from voice to voice, from page to page. This, however, is not one of those stories.
This is the tale of one long forgotten—buried so deep, so thoroughly, that not even the dust dares whisper his name. Not a single scroll bears his mark, nor any soul recalls his deeds. Not one star, not one stone, not even the faintest song carries his memory. Where his legacy might have stood tall, there is naught but an oppressive silence—uncaring, undisturbed, and unyielding.
You, gentle reader, may wish—as so many others have—to set this book aside. To let the dust lie undisturbed, and permit the long silence to go unbroken. And you would be wise to do so. Whether you proceed or retreat into the sanctuary of ignorance matters not.
Still, should your curiosity outweigh your caution, and you choose to proceed, know this: once the veil is lifted, it may never fall again. Some knowledge cannot be forgotten. Some stories, once heard, return unbidden in the quiet watches of the night.
Read on, if you must. But do not pretend you were not warned.